


Marble

by Tyke (TwiceAsFrustrating)



Series: Vitae That Binds [2]
Category: Mage: The Ascension, Vampire: The Masquerade, World of Darkness (Games)
Genre: Animal Sacrifice, Baali (Vampire: The Masquerade), Based on a WoD Game, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Gangrel (Vampire: The Masquerade), Gen, Ghouls, Lesbian Sex, Mages, Smut, Unexplained Backstory, Vampires, some chapters are smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-07-15 00:57:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16052147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwiceAsFrustrating/pseuds/Tyke
Summary: Lots of weird things happen when you play a game that is part of an extended world/story line. These are long standing relationships with a lot of backstory and build up. I am not bothering with that. Please take these chapters as they are, and I apologize for any confusion.





	1. Degenerates (Smut)

**Author's Note:**

> Lots of weird things happen when you play a game that is part of an extended world/story line. These are long standing relationships with a lot of backstory and build up. I am not bothering with that. Please take these chapters as they are, and I apologize for any confusion.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two supernaturals get it on, in this shameless smut based on something that really happened in one of our recent sessions. Damn, it's good to be the game's slut.

The two women found themselves in a nearby bush, just barely hidden from the roaming eyes of partygoers. No one was looking for them in particular, but somebody was definitely going to look if they were found. It was hard to ignore two women who were unearthly gorgeous finding comfort in one another’s bodies and not be at least a little intrigued. Though, anyone with a good eye would notice that neither of them was quite… human.

The Kindred dropped to her knees and slid her hands up the other woman’s waist, feeling her soft, smooth skin beneath her fingers. The woman shivered slightly at her cold touch, but did not pull away. It was nice to have a partner that knew exactly what she was and still want to do these kind of things with her. In fact, she didn’t just want to, she embraced it with fervor. The girl was obsessed with Kindred, without begging to actually become one. Though, if the woman wanted to take that final dive and be Embraced, a part of her wouldn’t mind sinking her fangs in deep and feeling her lovers blood rush down her throat as she drain the life from her veins. For, as much as the Kindred loved her sexual romps, she still prefered the sweet nectar that was blood.

Still, she was a beast to her carnal pleasure…. In a sense. Sex was the same as any other interaction to her. She didn’t enjoy it because it felt good; her nerves were too dead to really get anything out of it physically. She more enjoyed what she remembered it being like. When she was alive, she had been a slut of the highest caliber. It had gotten her into trouble multiple times, including her own Embrace, which one would think would cause her to rethink her position on the activity, but it didn’t. Instead, she just learned to use it to relive her own humanity.

That was neither here nor there though. Instead, she was worried about driving the woman she was holding mad with pleasure.

The Kindred brought her hands down the woman’s side, gently tickling her soft skin as she went, stopping once she reached the button that held her pants up. She debated using her teeth or claws to tear the damned things to shreds. They were waiting for the car to show up, so she wouldn't have to walk around exposed for long. Plus, it would be fun to watch her try to walk through the partying crowd around them while trying to hide her shame. She decided against it out of respect for her partner. While the Kindred was used to flaunting her body for others to see, she didn’t think the same was true for her date.

Instead, she teased the woman by rubbing a single finger along the inner seam of her jeans, pressing it against her hidden slit and hoping the fabric would rub against her enough to get her going. The gentle purr that spilled out as a result was all the confirmation she needed. There was something undeniably sexy about a beautiful woman letting her know she liked getting off.

She would have teased her a little longer, just until the woman begged to be thrown down and fucked until she was screaming so loudly that no passerby could ignore her, but they were on a tight schedule. They only had thirty minutes before their ride came, and neither of the men would be happy to wait for the two of them to finish making a spectacle of themselves. As much as she disliked it, she’d have to be quick with their passions.

The Kindred unbuttoned the woman’s jeans and slid them down her long, slender legs. She stopped when they were just above her knees, constraining the woman’s movement; not that it actually would if she wanted to break free. They were both supernatural and had the power to back it up. 

Her panties were inconveniently in the way of seeing what she wanted. A small part of her had secretly hoped the woman would be without them, but she couldn’t get everything she wanted. Instead, she decided to go with the flow.

The vampire woman leaned in, grabbing the edge of the woman’s panties in her teeth. She was careful to let her fangs brush gently against the other woman’s hip, sending a shiver through her. It was a good thing she wasn’t hungry, or else she should would have bit in after having been tempted with such a delicious looking beauty, 

With a quick motion, she tore the woman’s underwear off of her frame. Her partner looked briefly upset at the ruination of her clothing, but they both knew the Kindred could buy her a hundred new pairs to replace them if she wanted. Heck, she might just to see what the woman looked like in something a little more skimpy.

She ignored the woman’s half-glare for now and buried her head against her. Despite the look on her face, she was wet with anticipation, a sight that made the Kindred ecstatic. She would have sent blood to her area as well, but she wasn’t planning for this to be a two way exchange, so it was a waste of time.

With a small smirk her partner couldn’t see, she sunk her tongue into her womanhood. She could hear a stifled moan escape her lips, which encouraged her to keep going. Her partner had always tasted good; she wondered if it was a byproduct of her magick or if the woman was just inherently sweet. It was rare for anyone to taste like a mild dessert, so she put her money on magick.

The mage woman gripped her hands against the Kindred’s hair to hold herself up and assist in leaning against her tongue, which got a mild, feral growl in reaction. The Kindred hated when people touched her hair and wouldn’t let even her partner go that far. Not out of fear, but out of respect, did the woman move her hands to the vampire’s shoulders. It was harder to reach, but that was easy to drown out at the moment.

The vampire helped her partner along as she used one hand the press against the woman’s buttox, which brought the two of them closer together and allowed her to sick her tongue further in. 

The gasp that escaped the mage’s mouth was just loud enough that she suspected someone would hear them. Let them. Maybe they would decide they liked the show and join. She’d love to show her partner what it was like to be the focus of two people’s attention at once. Then she really would be loud enough to draw the attention of everyone nearby. 

That wasn’t an option at the moment though, so she opted for the next best thing. She brought her hand up and pressed her middle knuckle against the mage’s clitoris. The sound she made was a mixture of surprise, enjoyment, and need. It was clear she didn’t get laid often enough and that she didn’t get many partners that understood the female form like she did. Such was the faulty of men. She may be Kindred, but she was a woman first.

For her, sex was everything. She ability to please was a weapon, a tool, and fun. It brought her little actual pleasure, since her nerves were mostly dead, but she loved to torment her partners and watch them writh because of her. It was the only thing she had left that reminded her of her humanity; well, the only thing that reminded her and that she could afford to lose.

That thought wasn’t at the forefront of her mind as her tongue slid against the woman’s inner folds, but it was one she new internally. Maybe it was that thought that was what made her so good at this. For her, sex was about finding herself and making her partner incapable of forgetting about the ecstasy she could give.

Speaking of which...

The woman began to buck and shudder against her mouth as she grew closer to her orgasm. The Kindred smirked against her and dared her to come and she pressed her knuckle against the woman’s clit and rubbed her. Between that and her tongue, her partner couldn’t hold on and shook as she came, violently.

The mage looked at her through foggy vision as she came up from between the woman’s legs. She loved that look the most. It was the look that meant she had complete control over her partner’s body and could drive her crazy. It was a strange bliss, but it was bliss nonetheless.

She stood up, pulling up the girl’s pants with her. She still wasn’t wearing any underwear, which was pretty hot when the Kindred thought about it. The only thing she could wish was that the mage had worn a dress out of the house; then she could really do something fun, like hiking up her skirt and letting everyone get a look at her wet womanhood. That would be fun.

Once they were both on the same level again, the Kindred leaned in for a long, deep kiss. The mage’s face scrunched up a little, showing that she either didn’t like the idea of kissing after where that mouth had been or she didn’t like the taste. Either way, it was a little funny. Mortals were a funny bunch. Mages were just the fun ones.

The Kindred thought about going a little further and bending her partner over and making her cum again with her fingers, but the mage reminded her (through labored breaths) that their ride was going to be here soon. She rolled her eyes and conceded.

Maybe she would continue when they got home instead.


	2. The Current State of Affairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Kindred finds herself unable to go anywhere. Her home was being monitored and her sanctuary was surrounded by a past she'd rather forget. She is trapped inside by her own paranoia. In the meantime, she may as well get to know the other Kindred that lives here. AKA: Everything is a downright mess in the game right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title says it. This happened in my most recent solo with this character. Seriously, it happened only hours ago and 90% of the dialogue and actions are taken straight from the session. I filled in a little of the backstory to help alleviate the confusion of some actions, but I could not say everything. This is our second season of this chronicle, after all, and there is a lot of backstory.

Her partner, a mage, was sitting in the main lobby, putting on a pair of sneakers to go out. She so rarely got to see her partner wearing casual clothing, preferring flowing robes that showed off just how much of a stereotypical witch she was.

The Kindred sat in a chair, enjoying the feeling of wearing a different set of clothing after having to go naked for a few days. Unfortunately, most of her clothing was still back at her own place, which was unsafe since the breakin by those techno mages. Her ghoul had only managed to retrieve one extra set when he went back to check out the scene. Annoyingly, it seems they left a camera there so she couldn't go back as freely as she wished.

“Where are you going dear?” The Kindred asked, finally noticing that there was a bag next to her partner.

"I will be leaving here for a few days to stay in town. Lane and I will be meeting to discuss something."

“Lane, hm?” The kindred smiled knowingly. The man was as much as a pervert as she was. They had only met once before, but she liked the man already.

"No doubt that will be on his mind. But it's for business." She finished putting on her shoes and looked toward the vampire, "You know, I am actually glad you're here. I had a dream of you."

"Please tell me it was a wet dream. That would make my night." She was a shameless flirt. She laughed, dismissing her statement as a joke. Of course the two of them had done it many times before, but this was not the time to be joking, "Seriously though, what was it?"

"I dreamt of you out in the forest, on the ground, but before I could get to you, my vision left me."

She wasn’t sure how to feel about that statement, "Do you, by chance, have the ability to see the future? If so, I feel I should be concerned." She only barely understood magick. For the most part, she thought of how it worked in movies as a quick guide.

"I personally do not focus on divination, but I have dabbled in it. Some of the other Verbena,” that was what her partner called herself, though the Kindred had no idea what it really meant, “will have more experience than I. My focus is the enhancement of the human form."

A look came across the mage’s face. She wasn’t sure what it was though.

"Have a good night. Be safe if you head for the city. Arston will be here tonight if you wish to speak to him."

Arston was the other resident Kindred; a Baali (not that she knew his bloodline), "It would be more along the lines of me speaking _to_ him. He's the strong, stoic type."

"Indeed. I heard his family and coterie was vanquished when he traveled here. Though he tells me he was chasing down one of his families that had escaped him, so he calls it ugly karma."

"I see. I suppose that would make someone less fond of making friends." She didn’t blame him. She was also slow to make friends. Even her own coterie was barely tolerable. The Camarilla had a habit of getting on her nerves in the worst way at the worst time.

"Heh. I think they were not so much friends. If you knew what blood he shared, you may think twice." Once again, Baali, but she didn’t know that or bother asking.

"He's on your side, isn't he?"

"We have a very strong partnership. I don't doubt that to him I am a business partner. "But the feeling is mutual so I bear no ill will. He does not intrude on my practices with his own."

"As long as he's your business partner, I bare him no malice."

The mage smiled, "Have a good night." She said to the Kindred, then looked to the ghoul sitting in the corner, "You too." He nodded at her from the corner.

"Tell me if you get laid. I want all the details." The Kindred said as her partner headed out the door.

The two of them were suddenly alone. Well, not alone. There were handmaidens shuffling around the place, but they were more accessories to the residence than actual people to her.

 _‘I should have asked if the magick around the cabin would last without her. Pretty sure it will, but…,’_ She thought to herself, unsure how the magick actually worked. Right now, the ward was all that she could trust.

Suddenly, a cold chill ran through and around her; another supernatural.

As if on cue, an older man walked through the door. It was Arston, “Hey there, handsome.” It was a joke, considering he was average at best. Not supernatural average, but mortal average. As shame, considering she had a thing for older men.

He nodded toward her, but not much else.

"Our little mage went out, so I guess it's just you and me tonight. Wanna party?"

"I have some business to get to. Though, if you wish to...party, you can help me with something." His voice was deep and gravelly.

“Depends what it is.” She never agreed to a favor without knowing what she was agreeing to. That could get someone into a lot of trouble, “So… what is it?”

"I just need you to head to a spot in the forest and take this bag to it. There will be a small mark there, just bury it." The bag he held up was burlap, dyed red at the bottom by something bleeding inside of it.

"Well, shit. I don't think that sounds like a good idea. I got a warning against going into the forest earlier tonight." At least, she assumed that was what her partner warned her about, "Also, I think your bag is bleeding."

"I can do it myself then."

She debated going anyway, just to get out of the cabin for a little while, "Do I get to know why this bag needs to be buried in a certain place?"

"It's just something I am preparing for a potential childe."

"Oh? Going to sire a brat of your own?" Every clan and bloodline had their own weird traditions. In her case, she had been abandoned for the first year of her unlife. Her sire didn’t come back until she proved she could survive on her own. Not to mention the added bonus of being buried and having to dig her way out of the ground in order to find her first meal. That wasn’t a Gangrel thing, just a Sabbat thing.

"I have been monitoring him, I think he has potential."

"I hope it plays out." That was genuine. As someone who was hated by her own sire, she wished the best for young childer.

"Indeed. Well, have a good evening." He headed toward the door that was marked as being the entrance to his room, sack in hand.

"You too. Have fun burying your bloody sack." She watched him go into the door and waited in the main lobby.

She waited a bit longer, unsure what to do with herself. The reason she bothered hanging out with the local Cammies was because they amused her to some degree, but she had been spending too much time with them recently. She didn’t need them to go think they were all buddies and allies.

As she was debating what to do, she noticed something just outside the window, slightly beyond the ward. The same motion drew her ghoul’s attention.

"I have a bad feeling something is playing outside the ward..." She said to him.

"It's a leaf... At the end of winter." He replied, finding it as strange as she probably did. They should have all fallen off months ago, and any fresh ones wouldn’t be coming off for a few more months. It was likely the leaf had been disturbed.

"Glad I've learned to take my dear's abilities seriously. I've got a bad feeling." She had been paranoid recently. Ever since she found who was hanging out around the outside of the ward; her former pack. It had been years since she left them, tired of her sire and ductus constantly telling her that her embrace had been the biggest mistake he had ever made.

He was dead now, shot in the head by her two years ago, but she hadn’t gone back. No one except her Coterie knew what she had done, and they did not understand the significance of her actions. After all, she didn’t go telling the Cammie twits that she had been in the Sabbat or that the man who tried to burn down their Chantry two years ago had been her sire. That was the quickest way to earn her final death.

She doubted the pack knew she was here. Since that incident where her sire was killed, the Sabbat had been losing power in the city to the Camarilla. They had likely been chased this far out for other reasons. Sometimes, she could swear she missed them. Other times, she cursed their continued interference in her life. She just wanted to move on, but that was impossible with them around. Not that they knew they were doing it. After all, she wore a wig and plenty of makeup to hide her real face.

Right now, they were out there, probably stalking around while looking for whoever had recently taken out one of their only four-- now three-- packmates left. Once again, it had been her, though she was letting the Gargoyle who had been there take all the credit since she didn’t exactly want the consequences of such an action; no Cammie praise, no Sabbat ire. Though, she and the Gargoyle had been careful to dispose of all evidence of the packmate’s final death. Still, they would probably suspect something suspicious. They just wouldn't know who had done it, since they weren’t around when she killed them.

She just wanted her pack-- and the two members in it she was blood bound to, her sire’s other childer-- to leave her be so she could stop going against them. She didn’t want to take them out. They just kept getting in her way and forcing her hand. She was still a Sabbat somewhere deep inside. If her sire hadn’t been an asshole, she probably would have stayed with them.

Still, she figured that was them just outside the ward, so she stayed alert and watched. She sent her ghoul around the other way to see if they were circling around. He found nothing, as her vigilance was turning up the same.

She had been watching for a few minutes when Arston came out of his room, “I know you intended to stay inside this evening. I have something for you if you wish to do something."

“Oh?” She let her attention turn to him while her ghoul continued to watch the outside. She needed something to do before she went mad.

The older man handed her an ornate knife, “There is a small goat in that room, could you do me the honor of skinning it and laying its entrails on the ground?"

"I have so many questions and no answer will clear them up. This is, like, every teenage girl's Wicca phase and it is a little weird." Not that she had a Wicca phase. She had been to busy being forced to grow up and skipped the milestone, ”But, fine. As long as the Devil won't slit my throat for daring to summon him."

"As long as you don't get any of it on you you will be fine.” Was his reply.

"Was that a joke? Because you don't joke and now I am legitimately worried. Also, careful when going out. I think we have guests just outside the ward. Though, I didn't see them exactly." The two thoughts came out as one statement.

"You answered your own question." He stated, before replying to her second part with a nod and heading out the front door.

She shrugged at his eccentricities. They all had them.

"Hun, do be a dear and shoot the Devil if I summon him." She said to her ghoul, half joking, but mostly serious. Even the Sabbat thought demon’s were bad juju.

"Before or after I let him tear you in half?" Her ghoul asked, the bitterness seeping through his voice. She knew he hated her, and he knew that she knew. Still, he couldn’t fight the blood bond that had been built up over the course of five, six years. The best he could do was hoping she died while he wasn't there to save her. Too bad he missed the chance during that breakin. Though, he did find some amusement in knowing she’d gotten a nasty sunburn when he carried her in the escape (which had happened in the afternoon).

"Depends if you want to go find a new master or not." She used the one threat she knew would work better than anything else. She knew he was addicted to Kindred blood, and nothing would change that. And, as much as he denied it, he knew it to. If she died, he’d have to go elsewhere for his fix, and there was no guarantee that he’d get a master that would treat him better than she did. Sure, he was simply a tool to her, but she didn’t torture him or anything. She just used him for his strength. She was the evil he knew.

He let out a small ‘tsk’ as she headed for the room, knife in hand.

As she pushed the door open, a red light flooded out. Inside, there was a pentagram with dirt markings and strange objects encircling it. The goat was lying quietly in the center, just breathing but not doing much else.

"Yeah, no. This is suspicious as fuck. I feel this going is against my Christian morals."

“You have morals?” Her ghoul asked as he trailed in behind her.

“I must, or I would have drained you years ago.”

That shut him up.

"Welp, sorry goat. Everyone has their place on the totem pole." Goats were pretty low on that totem pole.

She took the ritual knife and brought it up to the goat, slitting its throat in one clean stroke. Without hesitation, she sliced into its still warm belly and delicately began to peel the hide from its flesh. She was a master carver. It was something she had to learn to please her asshole of a sire, not that it ever did.

Her ghoul had no reaction as she sliced the goat open. He had done much worse to things much higher on the totem pole than a goat. Heck, she had found him after her murdered two people during a drug deal gone south. But that was neither here nor there.

It took her half an hour to complete the task to her satisfaction. The thing was in layers (fur, skin, meat, innards) but it was still recognizable as a goat. That would probably satisfy Arston.

With her task completed, and no blood having splashed onto her, she went back to the main lobby and waited.

It took Arston thirty more minutes to return.

As soon as he walked in, she spoke up, "Did you manage to bury your sack where you wanted?"

He looked at her with his usual stoic glance, "It worked out without a hitch. Did you attend to the business?"

"Some time ago. It was just a goat." As if she would have trouble with the task, "So, who is this potential childe? I'm curious."

"I will be protecting his identity,” understandable, given how petty Kindred were, “but he's a recent college graduate in religious studies."

"Oh? Sounds like fun. Don't know how you found him, but I can't wait to meet him... assuming he passes your little test."

"He will show up in a week if you wish to witness it."

"Hm... Never seen someone make a childe. Well, aside from my own Embrace, but I was kind of dying during that, so the memories are a little fuzzy." Except for what happened beforehand, but the less said about that, the better, "So, what does the goat do?" She wondered if it was another part of his bloodline’s ritual to embrace.

"To help me with practicing my arts." So, that was a no then.

"Is that so?"

He nodded.

"I assume you didn't see anyone outside the ward then?" She changed the subject to something she actually cared about, rather than a passing interest.

"I did not."

“I see…”

"Though, if you are suspicious, do not take my word for it." That was a very _him_ suggestion.

"I'd rather not take the chance to learn. Last time I saw them out there, they had just gotten high off a bear." A werebear to be exact, something she had no idea was living in the area. Well, had lived. They killed it in order to drink its blood.

"Seems wiser to stay here then." She couldn’t agree more.

"Have a good night. I'll be here if you get the odd notion to talk for once." She called out as he headed back to his room and locked the door behind him.

Bored once more, she went over to her ghoul and sat next to him. He begrudgingly let her, knowing the look on her face was one of dispassion. She didn't have the energy to keep up appearances anymore. She just wanted to be free. She wanted to know if her pack was out there or if they had left. Until she knew, this place was a prison as much as it was a sanctuary from them.


	3. Sentenced to Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our recent game session had me investigating a bombing at the local Setite temple. Marble thinks she's found the culprit, but it's not as easy as just arresting him and moving on.

The white robe was wrapped around her body, clinging to her skin and flapping open ever so slightly each time she took a step. She was confident in her stride, almost preferring if the robe feel of right there so everyone could see she was here and it meant business. She also just wanted people to admire her body.

She hadn’t had an opportunity to indulge in her vices in a while because of this stupid wild goose chase. She was careful to get laid at least once every few nights, but this damn thing had thrown her off schedule. She would have to take it out on her ghouls later.

She found Elia, leader of the local Setitie, behind a fabric partition, waiting for her and welcoming her to sit with him so she could debrief him on what she had discovered.

"Evening Marble, have you made progress on our investigation?" The man pulled himself away from his prayers long enough to talk to her.

She sat down across from the dark-skinned leader of the cult known as the Followers of Set and readied herself for an interrogation, a debrief of her investigation, and an accusation, "A little, yes. So far my biggest clue is that it wasn't the Serpents that bombed you. Not directly, at least. Seems they got someone else to do it for them."

That was the first piece of information for him and the first step in uncovering if what she had learned was true or if it was just a crazy theory.

Her mile-a-minutes thoughts were cut off and her attention snapped back to the present when Elia spoke again, "Seems quite like the Sabbat to be cowardly."

As a former Sabbat, she took that comment a little personally, "I wouldn't say cowardly, in this case. Strategic, maybe. After all, they most likely couldn't sneak in without you recognizing them as Serpents. They likely sent them in to keep suspicion slightly lower or to die if they were caught instead of losing their own numbers.”

She needed to establish a believable story for him. Make him think she was still guessing or going down the wrong trail. It was the only way he may let down his guard long enough to show her an honest emotion.

She had to wonder if her theory was crazy. Could he really have been the one to bomb his own temple? What would be possibly gain from doing that? Why would be ask her to investigate rather than covering it up or leading his own pseudo-investigation? Afterall, the police weren’t concerned about it and the Cammies weren’t reaching out a helping hand. Marble herself would have walked away if not for him asking for her assistance.

“Interesting. Any idea on who the ringleader is then?"

She held back her desire to accuse him right then and there, instead moving on to a story to make her seem like she was still in the early stages of her mission, “Not sure as of yet. They seem to be an enigma around here. Less well known than even you guys are here. They blend in a little too well to stick out, or they fall so far into the background that no one has seen them." Slowly make him think that she knew nothing of value and maybe he would slip up when the real interrogation began, “On a side note, I did see the damage to your building. Surprisingly minimal."

"It did not seem like they could muster much firearms." He said to her.

_"Perhaps..." Or maybe you didn’t want to damage your own building that badly. Just make it look like an attack rather than have the real thing. All the indigent anger without losing a single piece you could use later._

"Oh!" She chimed up again, pretending she had just remembered something, "I also found something else. There was something left at the scene of the incident. There is a chance it belongs to the mastermind."

"What was it?"

She prepared herself mentally, ready for any kind of reaction from him. This is what she had come here for though, and she wouldn’t be stopped. She had to get information out of him.

"Some jewelry. I doubt it belongs to the people who placed the explosive, so I can only conclude that it belongs to whoever made the bomb or orchestrated its placement." She spoke and watched his reaction to the news.

He didn’t know it, but one of his underlings had just found the ring at the bomb site and told Marble to whom it had belonged. This was her only real lead. She had to follow it.

The only thing she could think was that he wanted her to do the investigation so that she would have to report all findings to him and he could silence them as soon as possible. That’s why going to hi about the ring was so tricky and why she couldn’t lay all her cards on the table just yet. That would be just her luck for coming here to ask about the roaming Sabbat pack that had recently started acting up after she found a small vial of Setite blood on them.

She did not miss it as his eyes subtly looked down to where the ring should be on his hand. That was his first admission of guilt in her eyes.

"Why would they be there if they werent the one who placed it?"

He was trying to make her doubt herself. A distraction tactic so she wouldn’t try to trace the ring back to its owner. So she wouldn’t trace it back to him. It was too late for that though.

She had to play along for now, "That's a good question. I can only guess that it was used as a marker, or maybe it was with the device for some reason. Point is, the real culprit left us a pretty little clue. I think that if we find the original owner, we will find the mastermind."

"Ah. Well I suppose they shall be perfectly safe until you do." Elia said, seeming almost relieved at the thought. Oh, if only he knew.

He continued, "Still, it's worth being secretive about this. Not wise to tell people you don't entirely trust."

 _Like you?_ She thought, “I suppose they would be safe until I found them, huh? So I guess the next step is to do that. Though... why would you want this to remain a secret? Don't you trust your own people? Would you not want to warn them?"

"Merely a safety precaution, for their sake and yours. After all if it remains between us until necessary, no one will be unduly burdened." He looked her straight in the eyes as he spoke then smiled ever so lightly.

"I see... I will keep that in mind. On a side note, I have a question." She had gotten her answer about the ring. It was definitely his and he definitely didn’t want her knowing about it or following its lead. Now, she had to check why he would want to place an attack on his own temple.

“Yes?” He replied.

"I would like to understand what is up with the Serpents better. Maybe you could help me. I don't know much about your particular clan, but I do know one thing. You believe Set is the father of us Vampires, correct?"

"Indeed. The Serpents of Light are like most Sabbat, they are our enemies and count Set among them. They practice magic we do not touch normally." She listened closely to his statement. It sounded genuine, but something was odd about it.

She had to dig further, “So... The Serpents buy into that whole Cane thing?"

"Very likely so."

Marble smiled and laughed slightly to herself. What she was about to say was blasphemy and it made her so incredibly nervous, "Now that is funny to me. Can you believe people think Caine is the father of vampires?" Even though she believed the exact same thing, having been a Sabbat in a former life.

"It is simply false." Now that was nowhere near as genuine as his previous statement. He probably believed in Caine himself. What a bad Follower of Set he was.

"But the Sabbat really believe it, you know. Kind of fanatically." They called themselves his army, after all.

"Let them believe what they wish."

"I just can't understand why members of your clan would switch sides so readily."

"Perhaps they have lost their way, the reasons are as numerous as the Sabbat."

_Just like you, huh?_

"Hm....well, unfortunately I must return to prayer." Was how he concluded their conversation. It was good enough for her, as she got exactly what she wanted.

She stood up, “"Right. Sorry to have bothered you. I should keep investigating."

“Stay safe.” He called after her as she made her way out of the inner temple and into the front lobby once again.

She went to reach for her phone so she could text the Tremere regent (an old work partner from a few years back whose life she had saved) about her findings. As she went for her phone though, she hesitated. She couldn’t help but think that she should keep the ring a secret for now and that no one but Elia and her needed to know.

She dropped her hand away from her phone, thinking about why she would think that way. Marble was paranoid about everything. She always passed off information to _someone_ , if only so she knew there was a backup of it in somewhere in case she was compromised. Then it hit her.

She chuckled under her breath bitterly.

_Motherfucker._

It was important to keep the information about the ring a secret between her and Elia; a man she didn’t trust. She would never think like that of her own free will, which meant this thought wasn't her free will. It was his will forced upon her.

_Motherfucker. You don't know how pissed that makes me._

He would pay for messing with her head. She would sharpen her fangs and rip his throat out the same way she did in her fledgling days. She hated being controlled by other people more than anything else in this world. He would be in for it very soon.

Until then, she had to figure out how to pass of the information to her ally without breaking the order she had been given.


End file.
